[Sermon] Remedy for Anxiety, Doubt, and Fear

Ephesians 1:13-14, ¹³ “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

The Role of the Holy Spirit In Us.

When Moses went up to the mountains to meet God, the people of Israel had forgotten their identity. They became anxious, self-serving, and doubted God’s faithfulness (Exodus 32). We easily forget about God and our identity when we are in trouble or inconvenience, in good times.

• And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth. (Judges 3:7, 12; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1)
• The Spirit of the Lord was upon him (Judges 3:10; 6:12; 13:25)

It is a tragic story when we think we have the freedom to do whatever we like because we can recognize what is good from what is bad. The Book of Judges ended with these words, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).

What happens if we are not filled by the Holy Spirit? (1 Samuel 16:14 – King Saul)

1. Anxious – Matthew 6:25-34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
2. Doubt – James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
3. Fear (the root of anxiety and doubt is fear) – 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

But what are the promises of God to his children?

1. Give his Spirit to us. Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”
2. Spirit indwelling in us. 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” Romans 8:14-17, “¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Filled – Eph 5:18)
3. Sealed by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13-14,  “¹³ In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

Final reminder: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30).

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Sermon delivered at Union Community Bible Church – Pathway on February 25, 2024. Powerpoint link